Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to HMRC's guidance entitled Newsletter 173 — September 2025, updated on 11 December 2025, what her planned timetable is for publishing draft regulations and laying legislation on the treatment of scheme-specific lump sums for individuals with Enhanced Protection.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Further Pensions (Abolition of Lifetime Allowance Charge etc) Regulations will be made in Spring 2026 and will include updates to the treatment of scheme-specific lump sums for individuals with Enhanced Protection.
The majority of the regulations will have retrospective effect from 6 April 2024 when the Lifetime Allowance was abolished.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if her Department has made an estimate of of the behavioural impact of the 3 percent Benefit-in-Kind rate for zero-emission company cars, including (a) the number of additional EVs purchased by fleets and (b) the fiscal implications of those behavioural effects.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government publishes annual statistics on HMRC’s taxable benefits in kind for company cars and company car fuel. These reports document the number of benefit in kind recipients, the CO2 emissions of company cars and their total taxable value. The latest statistics for the tax year 2023-24 were published in June 2025, and are accessible here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefits-in-kind-statistics-june-2025/benefit-in-kind-statistics-commentary-june-2025
Additionally, at Budget 2024 the Government announced new Company Car Tax rates for the years 2028-29 and 2029-30, which increase for both electric vehicles (EVs) and petrol/diesel vehicles, while still maintaining generous incentives to support EV take-up. The Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) published alongside Budget set out the expected economic, equalities and other impacts, and highlighted that overall the measure was expected to encourage the take-up of zero emission vehicles.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Financial Conduct Authority’s proposed Motor Finance Consumer Redress Scheme on the future affordability of motor finance for consumers.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
It is vital that consumers have access to motor finance to enable them to spread the cost of a vehicle in a way that is manageable and affordable. The Government wants to see this issue resolved in an efficient and orderly way that provides certainty for consumers and firms.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as independent regulator, has set out its proposals for a motor finance redress scheme. In its consultation, the FCA has set out how it expects consumers to be appropriately redressed. The FCA also sets out proposals on how firms should support vulnerable consumers, and address any gaps in their records, and what controls should be in place to ensure they operate the scheme in a fair and transparent way.
Throughout the consultation period which closed on December 12, the government has encouraged all stakeholders to fully engage with the process so that their views can be considered by the FCA. The FCA has indicated it will finalise the rules of the scheme in February or March 2026.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Financial Conduct Authority on the potential impact of the proposed Motor Finance Consumer Redress Scheme on future motor finance costs for consumers.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
It is vital that consumers have access to motor finance to enable them to spread the cost of a vehicle in a way that is manageable and affordable. The Government wants to see this issue resolved in an efficient and orderly way that provides certainty for consumers and firms.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as independent regulator, has set out its proposals for a motor finance redress scheme. In its consultation, the FCA has set out how it expects consumers to be appropriately redressed. The FCA also sets out proposals on how firms should support vulnerable consumers, and address any gaps in their records, and what controls should be in place to ensure they operate the scheme in a fair and transparent way.
Throughout the consultation period which closed on December 12, the government has encouraged all stakeholders to fully engage with the process so that their views can be considered by the FCA. The FCA has indicated it will finalise the rules of the scheme in February or March 2026.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the net zero targets are for (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s-length bodies; and whether guidance has been issued on adopting net zero targets earlier than 2050.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The net zero target in the Climate Change Act 2008, is a target for the whole of the UK, not individual departments or arms-length bodies.
Greening Government Commitments are the central framework setting out the actions UK government departments and their agencies will take to reduce their impacts on the environment, including setting targets to reduce emissions, during the framework period.
The previous framework and emission reduction targets covered the period 2021 - 2025. Under this framework HM Treasury had a target to reduce its overall emissions by 69% and direct emissions by 25%, against a 2017-2018 baseline.
Defra are reviewing the Greening Government Commitments to ensure that they remain aligned with government priorities.
Information regarding the Treasury’s targets and performance on operational activity relating to climate adaptation, sustainability, and the environment (CASE-Ops) can be found in ANNEX B: Sustainability in the 2024-25 Annual Report and Accounts on pages 223 to 229 at : www.gov.uk/government/publications/hm-treasury-annual-report-and-accounts-2024-to-2025
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2025 to Question 94796 on Cars: Taxation, whether a weight-based system of vehicle taxation for cars is under consideration by her Department.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including oil refining within the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government recognises that refineries play a role in energy security and the UK’s industrial base, and will publish a call for evidence on the fuel sector. The government is also considering the feasibility and impacts of including refined products in the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in future.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether, following the Government’s decision to abolish the Valuation Office Agency and transfer its functions into HM Revenue and Customs, she plans to maintain the current Valuation Office Agency methodology for assessing business-rates valuations.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Budget 2025, the government published a Call for Evidence on Business Rates and Investment which will explore concerns raised by a small number of ratepayers whose properties are valued on the ‘Receipts & Expenditure’ methodology and options to improve predictability and stability.Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the Air Passenger Duty in the Autumn Budget 2025 on the competitiveness of the UK aviation sector compared to other European countries.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government is committed to the long-term future of the aviation sector in the UK and recognises the benefits of the connectivity it creates between the UK and the rest of the world. The government remains committed to maintaining a competitive and dynamic aviation sector that supports jobs, skills, and innovation across the UK.
Following previous increases to Air Passenger Duty (APD) rates to account for below inflation rates, the government will uprate APD rates in line with RPI from 1 April 2027 and rounded to the nearest penny. This constitutes a real terms freeze.
This will continue to ensure that airlines make a fair contribution to the public finances, particularly given that tickets are VAT free, and aviation fuel incurs no duty.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to WPQ 93776, if she will provide a hyperlink to that information, as set out as correct practice in paragraph 234 of the Government's Guide To Parliamentary Work.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Apologies. The draft 2026 Rating List valuations, and current 2023 List valuations, which can be filtered using the advanced search by special category code, can be viewed at: www.gov.uk/find-business-rates